The following are some points to consider during corn test plot evaluations…………
1) Field variability alone can easily cause yield differences of 10 to 30 bushels per acre. A hybrids location at one end of a strip plot vs. the other can sometimes aide in significant yield variability.
2) Be careful with test plots consisting predominately of one company's hybrids. The odds are stacked in their favor.
3) Don't put much stock in results from one location and one year, even if the trial is well run and reliable. Pay more attention to how well a hybrid does as an average across several locations in your maturity zone.
4) Don't overemphasize results from one type of trial. Use data and observations from university trials, local demonstration plots, and then your own on-farm trials to look for consistent trends.
5) Don’t assume all trait versions of a hybrid are exactly the same or that the more trait stacked version is superior. Adding another trait to a hybrid doesn’t always add bushels. Traits can and do often protect a hybrids yield potential but genetics are what drive yield.
………. Ask your Hoegemeyer DSM or Agronomist for head to head yield data on the hybrids or varieties you are interested in!
Ryan Spurgeon / Hoegemeyer Agronomy